Senate Finance Committee leaders are probing the Social Security Administration (SSA) on its use of AI, especially in decisions about benefit eligibility and payment amounts.
In an Aug. 6 letter to SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley, Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, are requesting a response to a series of five questions on the emerging technology to ensure it is being used appropriately.
“Without the proper structure and guidelines for the procurement, deployment, and monitoring of AI systems, SSA’s use of AI could reduce the effectiveness of its benefit administration processes, exacerbate improper payments, and jeopardize beneficiaries’ financial security,” the senators wrote. “To mitigate the risks associated with deploying AI across its programs, SSA must have strong governance frameworks in place that, among other important aspects, clarify the role of human discretion.”
SSA, which is responsible for distributing more than $1 trillion in Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities, and their families each year, has used AI systems for more than 20 years, the senators said.
These systems help with important tasks such as reviewing and expediting certain disability claims, identifying possible fraud or abuse, and flagging cases with high expected overpayment for additional review. However, as the senators noted in their letter, AI is not a cure-all that can address all challenges facing the agency.
Sens. Crapo and Wyden requested Commissioner O’Malley provide information on the SSA’s use of AI, including SSA’s risk management frameworks for AI, positions for qualified personnel to develop and oversee AI and the processes used to expedite disability determinations and appeals.
This week’s letter to the SSA builds on the senator’s ongoing oversight of Federal agencies’ use of AI to ensure it is used appropriately.
Last year, the bipartisan pair probed the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Broder Protection, and the Department of Health and Human Services for information on their practices for responsible AI.
